22 Things We Wish You Could Understand About Food Allergies

Food allergies are the rise in the United States and no one knows the reasons why. Food allergies are often misunderstood by the public and used as punchlines in jokes. But food allergies are no laughing matter.

A food allergy occurs when the body's immune system sees a certain food as harmful and reacts by causing one or more symptoms. Mild and severe symptoms can lead to a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis (anna-fih-LACK-sis). The treatment for anaphylaxis is an injection of epinephrine. The best way to avoid an allergic reaction is to stay away from foods that have caused symptoms.

1. My son's allergies are a serious health issue, not just a preference. – Will

2. This is not something that we chose. It is not my son's fault that he can't eat or be near peanuts or tree nuts. – Bodie

3. I'm not being rude by making sure your kids wash after eating - because it could cause a reaction in my kid. – Chrissy

4. An invisible amount is enough to cause a reaction. – Frustrated Mama

5. My daughter’s milk allergy IS NOT the same as being lactose intolerant! – JZ

6. With a little effort, community activities can be made safe for kids with food allergies. They just need to reach out and ask. – Glenda

7. I have no way of knowing if you really understand how serious this is, so please don't be offended, but I don't really trust you and I DO need to see all the labels myself. – Jac

8. It is not a choice for my child not to eat certain foods. – Jill

9. We don’t make requests to be a pain or an inconvenience, the request is for the safety and inclusion of our child. – Betsy

10. Food allergy responses are unpredictable. – Karen

11. My vigilance is about keeping my child alive, not about being picky or overprotective. We did NOT choose this life; but it is what we must deal with on a daily basis. – Kimberly

12. How much time goes into planning regular life. - Errands, chores, activities, spur-of-the-moment fun is viewed through an unwavering lens of "How can I make this safe?" – KS

13. I wish folks understood it's not a choice ... we are not being "picky" or trying to be "high maintenance." - Susan

14. I wish those without food allergy understood how isolating it can feel for a child. Also, how it makes going out for things that would otherwise be simple just a little more complicated. – LJ

15. The emotional toll that food allergies take on a child from constantly being excluded from having the same food as his friends and classmates. – Maria

16. My children are not broken. Food allergies are not a contagious disease to be avoided. – Stefani

17. All the hard work and diligence a parent must do to keep their child safe. We're not over protective; we're cautious, alert, "always on", never wavering, planning, thinking ahead ... Just so our child can enjoy the same simplicities as every other child. - Hauer

18. FA kids and families can never, ever, never let their guards down around food. Ever. – Steph

19. The difficulties in finding safe food for our family to eat. The high cost of the few foods that are safe for all to eat. – Ward

20. Cross contact can and does cause allergic reactions! Be it contact with foods at a plant or in the home, cross contact is a serious issue for those with severe allergies. – jdoc284

Yes, I know your hamburger buns, crackers, cereal, etc do not contain pieces of peanuts that are visible to the naked eye, so please don't roll your eyes at me when I ask if there is a label I can read or if I can speak with a restaurant manager about possible cross-contamination. That and other parents please learn to read food labels! Again, if the allergen is not visible it might still be there hence the "processed on the same equipment" or "processed in the same facility" "or may contain traces of" notes, so don't send your kid to school with "just chocolate chip" granola bars to share for class snack if it includes any of the above allergen notes.

Don't be offended if you said you read the label and we ask to see it anyway. Unless you've been an allergy parent for years, you'd be surprised how confusing allergy disclosures can be. For example, for some allergens, they might be listed under pseudonyms or scientific names that you might not recognize.

my son has milk allergy and I find it very difficult to think now about joining kindergarten. The problem is that allergy is very high -even the around smell of cheese can cause big allergy. I am living in Kuwait and awareness in schools is still low. Is there new promising ways to treat? Thanks

Hi aboreem1969 - it is definitely scary to send them off to school. It sounds like your son reacts to airborne proteins which makes it even more challenging. There are a number of treatment options being researched. I don't know of anything new specifically geared toward milk - many are for peanut, but they have not branched out to other allergens.

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Kids With Food Allergies

Kids With Food Allergies (KFA) educates families and communities with practical food allergy management strategies to save lives and improve the quality of life for children and their families. One of the unique ways we provide this help is through our award-winning online community. Our community is the largest online support community for families raising children with food allergies and it's free!

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